Into The Dark

9.

 Nina approached her mother's house with Selassi firmly on her mind. It felt like it had been a while since she had heard from her and concern was creeping within.  The semi-detached was a shell of its former place as Nina got out of her car, looking at her childhood home with a tinge of nostalgia.

Whilst walking up to the door, she tried Selassi once more but again, there was no response. Sighing, she turned the key to open the door and was met with a strong smell of incense which was nothing new to her. 

Back when she was young, she and Selassi used to hate its smell but now the smell just made her feel at home. Settling her jacket down on the bannister, she made her way through the house to the back. 

Opening the door, she saw that her mother was deep in her usual afternoon meditation. Dark ginger twists adorned her mother's head as she found a seat and sat down, her eyes scoped the room to see the various healing crystals,  tarot cards and other psychic- related things stacked around.

Nina never really interested in anything other-worldly so sometimes she felt her mother was conning people but that was a conversation for another day.

" I know that you didn't come here just idle and watch me. What's going?" her mother, Lisa said with a calm tone, still in a meditation zone.

" Can't a daughter sit in silence with her mother?" Nina asked, cheekily.

" Always joking but what you are here for is no joking matter, is it?"  Lisa said, finally getting up and manoeuvring towards Nina, giving her a forehead kiss to which Nina embraced.

" Mum, not everything is some deep situation to dissect, you know." Nina said, walking towards the table where Lisa sat with her tarot cards ready.

" Just because you choose to believe that there is no higher power or spiritual realm doesn't mean that you have to joke about it.  Sometimes afford the respect to others that you would like to be given" Lisa said eyeing Nina who sat across from her.

Nina was aware that her mother was serious about her spiritual beliefs and sometimes she did have a tendency to joke about it because she didn't take it seriously but lately, she had been sensing something strange, almost something unearthly circling her.

She tried to dismiss but it felt too strong to ignore. She was contemplating whether to tell her mother or not because she wasn't ready to hear her say " I told you so".

Her mother shuffled the cards effortlessly and laid out three cards; the upright empress card, the fool card which was reversed and the wheel of fortune card which was reversed.

Lisa let in a horrified gasp as Nina watched with confusion.

" Mum, what does it say? Is it about me?" Nina asked anxiously.

" No, my love. It's your friend, Selassi, something is very wrong with her right now. The cards are indicating something circling her with malicious intentions, it seems like there is something supernatural attached to her"

" Supernatural? I don't think so, maybe its something else" Nina answered

" I know what I'm talking about, something is feeding off her like some demon," Lisa said with a concerned look in her eyes.

" I'm sure it's not that. Just explain what the cards really mean for her" Nina asked with anticipation,

" The upright empress card means that there is a possibility of motherhood or fertility nearby. You said she has a boyfriend, right?" Lisa asked.

" Yeah but it's still new, Mum. They've only been together for about 6 months so I hardly doubt that they are trying for a child" Nina said, scratching the back of her head.